Recycling helps to build a sustainable future

On Nov. 3, leading businesses statewide will gather in Tallahassee with the Florida Recycling Partnership and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to promote awareness around Florida Recycles Day.

Member companies of the Florida Chapter of the National Waste and Recycling Association — private companies that collect, haul and sort your recyclables — like to think of every day as Florida Recycles Day.

Recycling is sound public policy. It is good for the environment. It helps keep communities clean and healthy. And, when recycled materials are used to make new products, it saves energy and natural resources.

Our members are proud of their work helping make Florida green through recycling programs. In fact, we have more than 69,000 people in our industry in the state, and we serve virtually every home and business.

According to the Florida Environmental Protection Agency, the recycling rate is approximately 50 percent today, with a goal to achieve a 75 percent rate by 2020. Getting to a higher recycling rate is not far-fetched. We have worked hard to make curbside recycling for residences and business as convenient as possible, and every day more Floridians join their neighbors in the effort.

Our websites, beginwiththebin.org and flrecycling.org, have important information and helpful tips that help you know what to recycle and how easy it is to recycle. To our customers who have been leading the way here in Florida by recycling, we say, “Keep up the great work.” If you haven’t begun recycling yet, we encourage you to get started today. Once you get started, you will realize that it’s easier than you thought and you’ll be helping to build a sustainable future.

This story was originally published November 3, 2015 at 1:56 PM with the headline "Recycling helps to build a sustainable future."